Blog Posts

A Week Of Dinner Ideas

Every night it can be kind of a hassle to think of what to make for dinner. Try one of these ideas if you’re unsure what to make tonight. Planning ahead can help your night go a lot smoother. Making a little extra for dinner is great because you’ll have enough to take for lunch the next day. Monday: Start with something comforting like this Homemade Mac n Cheese. This recipe comes from Tablespoon.com. The site says that this “creamy, cheesy baked macaroni and cheese is a true crowd pleaser! This southern-inspired comfort food packs a home-style flavor that both kids and adults will love.” Tuesday: This Taco Bake comes from Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen. Find the recipe here . As a bonus, this dish is also gluten-free. Customize this with your favorite ingredients and celebrate Taco Tuesday casserole style! Wednesday: Chicken Pillows are an easy dish that takes very little time and skill to prepare. There are lots of variations on this recipe, but we found a great one here . They pair really well with a fresh vegetable or a salad. Thursday: Try breakfast for dinner! This recipe for Blueberry Pancakes comes from Sweet Peas Kitchen. The site says, “Making these pancakes is actually really simple. Just combine the bowl of wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and pour on the griddle. Super simple and incredibly delicious!” Friday: Tonight, try a delicious homemade chicken noodle soup. This recipe comes from Averie Cooks. Pair this with a fresh bread or roll recipe, whatever you prefer! The site says, “I don’t have time to watch a boiling pot for half the day and this version is easy, ready in 30-minutes, and has all the comforting qualities you want in classic chicken noodle soup. To save time, use store bought rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken that you have on hand. Of [course,] you can roast or pan sauté chicken if you’re so inclined.” These dinners will help save time and money this week. Let us know what you think!

Game Night Ideas

Getting friends together for a game night is a low-fuss way to get your friends together and have a great time. Hosting friends in your home allows you to control the setting and atmosphere. A small group of people is perfect so you can get to know each of them a little better. Provide a few snacks and some game ideas, and just roll with it! Sometimes it’s fun to just hang out, but throw some competition in there, and you have the perfect recipe for fun! Here are a few game ideas that you can try at your game night: Fishbowl — This game is perfect for a group, and it doesn’t take a ton of practice to be good at it! Fishbowl is a fun and easy game that you can play at any party or group gathering. It's great to either break the ice with people who are unfamiliar with one another, or even go in depth with close friends and family. Throughout the game, two teams will compete to guess phrases, created by each player, in three rounds that pose different challenges. Minute to Win It — This is based on a game show and gives contestants one minute to do different tasks. Try Happiness Is Homemade for a ton of different game ideas. The site says “These 10 Minute to Win It games were perfect for all ages (we had guests from ages 4-55 playing these games, and everyone had a blast!) – challenging enough for the older kids and adults, but still simple enough that the younger children could play as well.” As mentioned before, providing snacks is integral to any successful game night. These 7 Layer Bars are a great hand-held treat to serve at your game night. With no utensils or plates necessary, your guests will be able to enjoy their treats and the game at the same time! Try this one from Living Well Mom. Enjoy your evening of fun! Thanks for reading.

Valentines Day Desserts

This month is Valentine’s day. Try one of these sweet treats to celebrate! Valentine’s Day Muddy Buddy Mix from Just Between Friends is a festive take on an old classic. This recipe makes a ton so it is perfect for wrapping up and sharing with friends or co-workers. Here is the recipe: To make this, you’ll need: Chex Cereal (We made half of the batch with Rice Chex and the other half with Corn Chex) 16 oz White CandiQuik chocolate 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar 1 bag Frosted Animal Crackers Sixlets (pink, found in the baking aisle at Smith’s) Rainbow Sprinkles (optional) 2 One gallon size Ziplock bags Melt the chocolate according to directions. Add Chex cereal to ziplock bag until the bag is about halfway full then repeat with the second bag. Pour half of the chocolate into one ziplock bag over the top of the cereal, and the other half in the other bag of cereal. Seal bag, shake and move it around to coat cereal in chocolate. Crush animal crackers using a rolling pin and add to chex in the ziplock bag. Also pour in rainbow sprinkles, as many as you feel like you want. I used about a TBS per bag. shake until everything is covered. Add 1/4 c powdered sugar to each bag and shake bag again to cover. Add in a couple more crushed animal crackers for color, and then let set before serving. Enjoy! We can’t wait to try these Valentine’s Brownie Kabobs. The recipe was found here at Mommy Jenna. This treat is a delicious mix of sweet and chocolate! Use any brownie mix you like, you don’t have to make them from scratch. As mentioned, these treats are great for sharing with friends for Valentine’s day. Add a handwritten note and you’ll certainly make someone’s day! We hope you enjoy these treats.

Try Our Fitness Center with these Workouts

It’s time to get in a great workout, and what better place to do so than in your own home or the apartment community’s fitness center? If you've been craving a really good sweat session, try some of these workouts listed below. We can’t wait to try Cara Loren’s routine. She does this right in her own home, which is the best part. Her routine includes hand weights, a stool, and a floor mat. These things don’t take up much space but really enhance your workout. The moves she does focus on arms, abs, and shoulders. This cardio training schedule from Emily Jackson of the Ivory Lane gives tips on training for a half marathon. Even if you’re not looking to compete, this is a great way to set a goal and get into shape. Emily says, “I LOVE to escape and get in a good workout whenever I can. Whether it is hiking with my family, going on a long Saturday run, or attending early-morning group fitness classes, there is no better feeling….I cross train quite a bit with group fitness classes at the gym, so my running schedule is more flexible….I am not an expert by any means. I just do what works for me and it would be fun to share.” For those more into low-impact workouts, this morning yoga routine we found at The Fresh Exchange is a perfect alternative. The site says, “The routine is simple relaxing and if you do it a few times through in under 15-20 minutes it gets your blood flowing and leaves you plenty of time to get cleaned up and ready for the day in that extra hour of the day. For me, this is a life-giving and refreshing way to get the day going. I also always feel better at the end of the day if I can get in some stretching and physical activity, which ultimately makes me sleep better.” Remember to be safe as you do these workouts. Good luck, and thanks for reading Canyon Park blog!

Green Smoothie Recipe

On a busy morning, getting in those last few minutes of sleep might be your first priority. But by 11 am your stomach might be telling a different story. Being productive in the morning starts by fueling your body. Green isn’t just for broccoli anymore. A refreshing smoothie in this bright hue packs lots of nutrients and gives you energy to get through the whole day! Purchase fresh ingredients for your smoothie and grab a tumbler you can take with you to sip during your commute. Try one of these three combos from Style Caste r! Avocado Blueberry Detox Smoothie 1 avocado 1 banana 1 cup blueberries 1 cucumber 1 handful spinach Coconut water Pineapple Green Smoothie 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt 1 cup baby spinach 1 cup frozen banana slices 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks 1 tbsp chia seeds 1–2 tsps pure maple syrup or honey (optional) Green Goddess Smoothie 1 cup ice water 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional) 3/4 cup fresh spinach 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped 1 kiwi, peeled and sliced 1/2 green apple, cored, roughly chopped 1/2 green pear, cored, roughly chopped 1/2 cucumber, peeled, and chopped 1/2 avocado 8–10 ice cubes For any of the above smoothies, add ingredients to your blender or juicer, adding the liquids last. Style Caster also mentions, “While orange juice certainly hasn’t disappeared from shelves (or even our shopping lists, necessarily), when it comes to health, the only color juice people want these days is green. And for good reason: Verdurous substances made with fresh produce have benefits that far outweigh generic juice on supermarket shelves—all that kale!—and are almost as easy to consume thanks to juice bars and prebottled versions. However, it’s worth noting that if you’re looking to get the most benefits out of your green juice, there’s nothing quite like making it yourself, whether in a blender or a juicer.” Thanks for reading Canyon Park blog!

Meet Our Amenities Complimentary Tanning

Your New Year’s resolution might be to get back into shape. Or maybe you have a mid-winter tropical vacation coming up. Or perhaps you just want to feel and look great! For all of these things, tanning will help you out! You might picture yourself laying on a hot bed for several minutes and coming out burnt to a crisp! You definitely don’t have to fear — it will not be like that. Follow safety procedures and guidelines and you’ll be glowing in no time. First, know your skin type. If you need to, visit a dermatologist to see if it is safe for you to use the beds. Those with lighter skin, eyes, and hair are typically more prone to burning. Start with small time intervals and work up to longer periods of time. If you ever come out of the bed feeling warm, red, or itchy, take about a week to let your skin heal before returning to the tanning bed. Next, get a good lotion. These can be purchased at your local tanning salon or online. They are more expensive than your typical body lotion, but one with oils and nutrients will ensure your tan lasts. This lotion should be applied before going in the tanning bed. Apply liberally. You might want to wash it off when you’re finished. Start small. A good tan should not be rushed. Start with a few minutes in the bed and work up to ten or fifteen. Go every other day if your skin can handle it. For those who cannot use tanning beds, alternatives include spray tans or at home self-tanner. Be safe! Wear protective goggles at all times when in the tanning bed. Make sure beds are clean and sanitized before using. Benefits of tanning beds include providing essential sun rays and vitamins that your body might be lacking in the winter months. Good luck, and thanks for reading!